Biology 2601A/B Lecture Notes - Electron Transport Chain, Rubisco, Stand Level Modelling
Document Summary
Introduction trees & forests & the importance of increasing temperatures: Trees and forests are important for: carbon storage and sequestration, being major biodiversity hotspots and altering regional albedo and hotspot patterns. Temperature is an important control on tree distribution and its present increase will greatly affect tree populations. Determining if trees vary in their response to temperature in predictable ways can be done by examining different functional groups (i. e. deciduous vs. evergreen species, conifers vs. broad-leaved species). Researchers synthesized 63 studies spanning 58 species grown in varying environments (growth chambers, greenhouses, open-top chambers and field studies) and looked at their biomass, anatomy and physiological changes. They found that elevated growth temperatures generally increase tree growth and this response is stronger in deciduous trees (evergreens often don"t grow better at warmer temperatures). Leaf and canopy growth are more stimulated than root biomass.